Peter Smith

TALKS HAVE resumed between Wakefield Trinity Wildcats and Dewsbury Rams over a possible ground-share at Tetley’s Stadium next season.

Wildcats chairman Michael Carter had been speaking to his Rams opposite number Mark Sawyer last year before managing to negotiate a cut in the rent Wakefield pay to use Belle Vue Stadium.

But with no progress being made on either a move to a new site at Newmarket or the purchase of Belle Vue, which would allow Wildcats to carry out major improvement works, Carter said a relocation to Dewsbury is back on the cards.

“Nothing has happened pretty much since Easter and we are now in July,” Carter said of Wildcats’ hopes of purchasing Belle Vue from landlords Royal Bank of Scotland.

“I have spoken to Mark and said ‘how do you feel about ground-sharing’ and in principle he has no objections. We have to iron out the nitty-gritty and that’s what we are doing at the moment, but basically we are discussing moving lock, stock and barrel over there for next season.”

Carter stressed he does not want to leave Belle Vue, but said the recent home game against Leeds Rhinos, played in driving rain, highlighted the fact the ground is no longer “fit for purpose” and a move away now looks to be the best option for the club.

Of the possibility of either redeveloping Belle Vue or moving to a new purpose-built stadium, he added: “We have got to a stage where the talking has got to stop. I have put my faith in a lot of people, who have said they are going to do this or that, but nothing has happened. We have got to make a decision, either on redevelopment or Newmarket in its entirety. People have got to step up.”